The ideal Ashes schedule for me would be Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford, Headingley, Trent Bridge, The Oval. That which was used in 1997, in fact. Though I suppose there'd be room for maneouvre with the Third, Fourth and Fifth games.

Trouble is, a six-game Ashes is almost certainly a thing of the past, so even if we don't have non-regular grounds like The Riverside and Sophia Gardens involved (which I'd prefer avoid myself, I'm more than happy with what worked for 104 years, 1903-2006) there'll still be somewhere left-out. Ideally, of course, that'd result in a 2000-2006-style thing of each of the major grounds hosting one Test per summer, and Lord's two. But if The Riverside, Sophia Gardens and, who knows, maybe others, are to become regular features, this too will cease to be possible and rotation will become a must.